What direction?
by Stuart Gray
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We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46b).
Read Acts 13:44–52
There are several verses I could have highlighted in this passage, so rich is its content. What would bring out almost a whole city to hear a speaker? How often do we see jealousy drive contrary actions? When the Gentiles heard the word, they were glad and honoured it. But the text that struck me most was the dramatic turning point described in the focus text.
God wanted the Jews to know that the promise of a Messiah had been fulfilled, so the disciples and teachers concentrated their efforts on telling the good news to the Jews. However, many non-Jews were hearing and believing the word, and this created jealousy amongst the Jews.
The jealousy was such that Paul and Barnabas saw that being stuck in their point of view was even more important to the Jews than eternal life.
What a turning point in the history of the church. Like other great turning points in history (Martin Luther’s 95 Theses comes to mind), we see dramatic divisions between peoples, with one group usually holding onto the past and another taking a turn in a new direction.
This works at a personal level as well.
It helps greatly if we are aware of what is holding us back and when we need to take a new direction. Luther said we should ‘die daily to sin’. My interpretation is that we must choose the direction of Christ each day anew.
This is not easy. Just think of the turning points in our own lives, positive and negative. We have the big things in our lives that make us change direction, such as completing education, taking a new job, getting married, having children and experiencing the death of family members and friends. Each requires us to adjust to new ways of being, a new paradigm.
Through all of those turning points, we need to be aware of the need to turn to Christ, the risen Lord, in the big and little events of our lives and on a daily basis.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us a beacon in Jesus, so we know in which direction to turn. Give us the power and desire to always turn to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, in all we do. Amen.
Stuart, with his wife Pamela Dalgliesh, lives in Mansfield, Victoria. Stuart has a background in agricultural science, rural journalism and corporate affairs. He loves living on a small farm in the beautiful High Country of Victoria, being involved in the Mansfield community and travelling. He is currently travelling in Europe, which will include a visit to the Poznan region of Poland, where some of Australia’s original German Lutherans came.
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